“Hackers” steal 11.5 million from Barclays Bank teller machines in Nairobi

Barclays Bank of Kenya has lost a staggering 11 million to suspected criminals who are believed to have allegedly hacked three automated teller machine (ATMs) in different parts of Nairobi Easter weekend.

The three machines located in South B, Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) and Buruburu were reportedly breached on Saturday with preliminary police reports indicating Barclays Bank’s staff could be behind the digital heist.

Police has confirmed the gang made away with Sh7m from two ATMs belonging to Barclays Bank in Buruburu and South B.

CIO East Africa learnt on Sunday that the first incident of the racket occurred at Buruburu’s Mutindwa ATM. It was reportedly unmanned at the time according to police. Further reports indicate that out of Ksh 7 million deposited at the ATM on 18^th April a sum of Ksh 6,290,000 million was missing on Saturday when personnel from the bank were called to fix the cash dispenser that had stopped working.

Upon visiting the scene, the law enforcement offers established that the ATM had no closed circuit television camera surveillance.

In a related incident Barclay Bank’s ATM situated at Kenyatta National Hospital reportedly lost Ksh 4.3 million and the suspects sneaked undetected.

In what seemed as an organized raid, the third incident at Mater Hospital in South B had Barclays Bank confirm loss of Ksh 1 million, summing the stolen amount stolen from the three ATMs to Ksh 11.5 million. Michael Muchiri, the Kilimani police boss noted that although the CCTV cameras in South B were functional, they could barely trace the suspects because the lens was masked with petroleum jelly.